Electric switch



(No Model.)

J. M. GRONIN. ELECTRIC SWITCH.

No. 530,472. Patented Dec. 4, 1894..

rig-An f5.5- WITNEEIEIE- NVE- mma Wwmf Q/ZW Mfhww UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

JOHN M. CRONIN, OF CAMBRIDGE, ASSIGNOR TO JAMES L. WESSON, OF

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 530,472, dated December4, 1 894.

Application filed September 22. 1894. Serial No. 523,764. (No model.)

.To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known than I, JOHN M. CRoNIN, re-4 cally connect the saidterminals to complete the circuit, and in another position to disconnect the said terminals and open the circuit.

Electric switches of the class referred to, as now commonly constructed,are designed for the purpose of placing the electric circuit in twoconditions, viz: either in a closed condition or in an open condition,and when in its closed condition, the translating devices, which may bearc or incandescent lamps are included in-the circuit, and which in itsopen condition, interrupts the circuit for the said translating devices.

In many places and especially in buildings employingr a large number oflights, it is oftentimes desirous to maintain the lights burning in oneor more sections of the building, as for instance, on different iioorsor in different rooms on the same ioor, while at the same time, it maynot be desired to use the lights in other sections of the building.

This invention has for its object to provide a switch of the classreferred to, capable ot' effecting this result, and in accordance withthis invention, the switch is provided with an auxiliary switch orcontroller co-operating with the movable members of the main switch,

Figure l is a top or plan view of one form of double pole switchembodying this invention, the movable member being shown in its closedposition and the auxiliary or shunt controller being shown in its normalor open position; Fig. 2,3, transverse section of the switch shown inFig. l looking toward the right, the auxiliary or shunt controller beingrepresented by full lines in its open positionv and by dotted lines inits closed position; Fig. 3, a side elevation of the switch shown inFig. 1 with the movable member raised into its open position, and Figs.4c and 5 diagrammatic views to more clearly illustrate the operation ofthe invention.

The switch herein shown as embodying this invention consists of a base apreferably of insulating material, upon which are mounted two sets a c2,a3 a4. of line terminals, con stituting stationary members of the doublepole switch and with which co-operate the movable members shown asmetallic strips, knives or blades a5 a6, the movable member 0,5co-operating with the stationary members a a2, and the movable memberasco-operating with the stationary members a3 c4.

In the present construction, the-movable members a5 a are pivotallysecured to uprights al as, and are made of sufficient length to passbetween separated uprights or jaws b b', b2 b3 on the stationary membersa2 a4, the said movable members as herein shown, being bent at theirends to form arms b4 b5, secured as by screws h6 b7 to a tie bar bspreferably of insulating material, which in the present instance, isprovided with a handle b9 having its shank extended through the tie bar.

The switch thus far described is and may be of the ordinaryconstruction, the movable members a5 a6 being electrically separatedfrom each other, so as to establish the circuit, in the closed positionof the switch, between the stationary members a a2 to complete one sideof the line, and between the stationary members as a4 to complete theother side of the line.

As now commonly practiced, the switch thus far described is interposedin the line ICO circuit containing the lamps, or other tran's- Y withthe jaws b h', b2 b3 of the stationary members a2 a4, the said circuitis opened.

In order to enable switches of this construction to be employed incircuits containing a plurality of translating devices or lamps arrangedin different parts of the circuit, so as to be utilized in differentparts of the building, as forinstance, in a manufacturing establishmenthaving a number of floors and different rooms on the said floors,whereby the translating devices in one part of the building may belighted while the translating devices in the other parts of the buildingmay be cut out of circuit, I have provided an auxiliary switch orcontroller adapted to remain inactive when it is desired that thecircuit on both sides of the switch should remain intact, but which isadapted to be rendered active, so as to maintain the circuit on one sideof the switch and open the circuit on the other side of the switch,whereby translating devices or lamps on one side of the switch may bemaintained in circuit and, therefore, lighted, while those on the otherside of the switch may be cut out of circuit and therefore unlighted,until the main switch is restored to its normal or closed position.

In the present instance, the auxiliary switch or shunt circuitcontroller comprises a single member herein represented as a metallicbar c mounted upon the shank of the handle b9 and adapted to be turnedby said handle into contact with the arms b4 b5 of the movable membersa5 c6, so as to electrically connect the movable members c5 a andestablish a shunt for that part of the circuit connected with thestationary members 0.2 a4.

In the present embodiment of this invention, the auxiliary shuntcontroller c normally occupies the position indicated by full lines inFig. 2, when the main switch is in its closed position and all thelights or translating devices in the circuit are supposed to be in use,but when it is desired to use some of the lights and not others, theauxiliary circuit controller c may be brought into engagement with thearms 54125 of the movable members a5 a, so as to complete an electriccircuit from the movable member a5 to the movable member a6.

The position of the auxiliary controller c is represented by dottedlines in Fig. 2 and by dotted lines in the diagram Figs. 4 and 5.

The operation of my improved circuit controller or switch may be readilyunderstood by reference to Figs. 4 and 5. In Fig. 4, d represents adynamo or other source of supply, and d d2 the usual brushes to whichthe line wires d3 d4 are connected. In Fig. 4, the circuit is arrangedto represent four different branches from the main circuit, which may besupposed to correspond to dierent floors of a building. To better enablethis invention to be understood, let it be supposed that the branchmarked No. l corresponds to the first floor; No.2 to the second floor;

No. 3 to the third floor, and No. 4 to the fourth floor, the translatingdevices or lamps being represented by the crosses From an inspection ofFig. 4, it will be seen that all the lamps included in the circuit arein series with each other, and that if the main switch line shown inFig. l should be interposed in any one of the branches and should beopened, the complete circuit would be broken and all the lights includedin the circuit would be put out.

In Fig. 4, I have represented the switch shown in Fig. l by the smallcircles, which represent the terminals et', a2, a3, ci, and the circuitline representing the movable members a5 a6, while the dotted lineconnecting the terminals d2 0.4 represents the controller c and the armsb4 b5 with which it co-operates. In the branch marked No. l in Fig. 4,eight lamps d5 are represented as arranged in two groups of four each.For purpose of illustration, one group may be supposed to be located inone or more rooms on the floor No. l, or on one side of the floor, andthe other group may be supposed to be located in one or more differentrooms on the iioor or on the other side of the tloor. In order tocontrol these two different groups of lam ps, I prefer to interpose inthe branch No.1 two of my irnproved switches, so that one group of lampsin the branch may be cut out of circuit and rendered inoperative, whilethe other group in the same may remain in circuit, and when it isdesired to cut out both groups or all the lamps in the branch No. l,the'controller interposed between the lamps andthe source of supply maybe operated. In Fig. 4, I have represented the auxiliary or shuntcontroller c o f both switches as in its active position, but it will beunderstood that when the controller c of the switch in the branch No. 1most remote from the dynamo d is in contact with the movable members a5as, the controller c of the switch nearest the dynamo may be at suchtime, in its open or full line position, Fig. 2, and, therefore, thecircuit will be maintained through the first group of lamps, but thesecond group will be shunted out of circuit. If now, it is desired topositively open the branch No. l and thereby cut out all the lampsincluded in it without destroying the continuity of the circuitthroughout the remaining portion of the building, the circuit controllerc of the switch nearest the dynamo will be brought into its dotted lineposition, Fig. 2, and the movable members may then be withdrawn fromcontact with the stationary members d2 a4 and. render the branch No. labsolutely dead, while at the same time, the remaining portion of thecircuit is maintained intact. In the branches Nos. 2 and 4, the

switches are shown in their closed position with the shunt controller inits normal position, which is represented by the absence of the dottedline c, while in the branch No. 3, the lights are represented as cut outof circuit.

IOO

In Fig. 5, I have represented the switch in use with the multiple arcarrangement of the lamps, and have represented two branches from themain line d3 d4, which branches may be supposed to be Nos. l and 3 ofthe diagram Fig. 4. In Fig. 5, the controller c is represented asshunting out the group of lamps beyond it, while the group of lampsbetween it and the dynamo are in circuit and the group of lamps in thebranch No. 3 are represented as out out.

By means of the auxiliary controller co-operating with the movablemembers of the main line switch, sparking of the switch between themovable members a5 a6 and their co-operating terminals ct2A a4 isprevented, when the said movable members are withdrawn from engagementwith the stationary members and also when brought in contact therewith.

In the present instance, I have shown the auxiliary controllerco-operating with the movable members of the main switch, as a singlebar co-operating with the bent arms b4 b5, and while I may prefer thisconstruction, I do not desire to limit my invention in this respect, asthe auxiliary controller may itself be made in other forms, so as tocomplete the circuit between the said movable members when thelatter areremovedfrom engagement with the terminals a2 d4, and to open the circuitthus formed when the movable members are brought into engagement withthe terminals 0,2 d4.

I have herein shown this invention as embodied in a double polesinglethrow switch, but I do not desire to limit my invention in this respect,as it is equally well adapted to be used with a double pole double throwswitch.

I claiml. The combination with a double switch provided with movablemembers a5 a6 insulated from each other, a tie bar connecting saidmembers, a handle carried by said tie bar, and an auxiliary circuitcontroller cooperating with the members a5 d6 and adapted to be`rendered operative by the said handle to electrically connect the saidmembers, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a double pole switch provided with movablemembers 0,5 0.6, a tie bar 198 connecting the said members, a handlecarried by said tie bar, and an auxiliary controller adapted to bebrought in contact with the movable members by operation of the saidhandle, su bstantialiy as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN M. CRONIN.

Witnesses:

JAS. H. CHURCHILL, J. MURPHY.

